266 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Dive Downes, of Cork, in his " Visitation " describes — " Mount Gabriel, in the 

 Parish of Skull, is a haunt of wolves ; there are no trees or shelter, except 

 rocks and bogs . . . From the top of Mount Gabriel we saw Dunmanus 

 Bay, and also Ban try Bay, with the hills of Beerhaven. We saw also from 

 thence Ballinskellix Islands in Kerry. ... on the Skellix the gannet, as 

 big as a goose, breeds. There is a small lough on the top of Mount 

 Gabriel." 1 



Westward the road is less attractive, running through a long and, in 

 parts, boggy valley. We turn off southward to the west of the old signal 

 tower, and through pretty strips of planting reach a beautiful group of little 

 bays, beyond which, at the end of a long peninsula, rises the dark and 

 conspicuous old peel tower of Lemcon. A little inlet, with clear depths, 

 through which the sunken rocks shine like masses of aquamarine, is called 

 Coosaphuca, attesting a belief in the elfish goat or horse which figures so 

 largely in later Irish folk-lore. 



Lemcon (0. S. 148). 



A walk for " a short mile " along the flower-hung cliffs and narrow high- 

 banked bridle-paths of old lanes brings us to two deep gullies, a collapsed 

 narrow cave running across the headland, only bridged near the middle by 

 the remains of a natural arch. The gully gives its name, Leimchon, the 

 Dog's Leap, to the headland and the " Black Castle " beyond. In the name 

 we meet evidence of a legend, a great favourite at similar sites. In Mayo we 

 find Leamanirvore, or Great Man's Leap, near Downpatrick, and the Giant 

 Deodruisge's Leap at Dunbriste, at the end of the latter prominent headland. 

 In the Mullet we have the Priest's Leap (Leimataggart), at three spots, 

 respectively near the promontory forts of Spinkadoon, Dunnamo, and Duna- 

 dearg ; The Seahorse's Leap is at Dun Fiachrach. In Co. Clare we find 

 Leimchaite and Leimcongher at Doonegall fort, The Leap of O'Brien's Horse 

 at Dunlicka, and Cuchullin's Leap (Leim Chonchullin in 850) at the once 

 walled rock at the end of Loop Head. In Kerry is the Leap of Ballingarry; 

 here we have the " Hound's Leap" (Lemcon); at Ardmore, "the Heir's Leap " 

 in Ardoginna, and in Wexford " Strongbow's Leap " at the great fortified 

 headland of Baginbun. One could wish to think that, as in Co. Clare and 

 Dromsna, so at Lemcon, it was no mere hound, but the great Hound of 



1 Loc. cit., p. 90. At Beerhaven he also notes, along with the Cahannagh, or arbutus, 

 " We saw eagles upon the lands of Beerhaven ; there are many wolves there." These 

 notes render very improbable the received account that the last Irish wolf was killed in 

 that year. Some assert that wolves existed down to 1760 n Co. Limerick. 



